Fireplace heater



March 25 .1924- J. B. DAWSON FIREPLACE HEATER Filed Sept. 19. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 25 1924. 1,488,195

J. B. DAWSON FIREPLACE HEATER Filed Sept. 19. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Ill/l III/III I W thence to a radiator for discharge into the Patented Rt 25, 1924.

or a

tenet FIREPLACE HEATER.

Application filed September 19, 1921. Serial No. 501,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. DAWSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fireplace Heaters, of which is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful im rovements in fireplace heaters, and particular y to fireplace heaters of that general type in which andirons are used.

One object of the invention is to provide a fireplace heater in which hollow andirons are employed to form air supply conductors for conveying air to a heating drum and room in which the fireplace is located, whereby the air passing through the andirons and drum will be heated and the heat units of the fuel made additionally available for more efiicient use and a better and more eficient mode of heating the room, while at the same time preserving the cheerful and pleasing appearance of an open hearth fire arrangement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement of parts for an ornamental and economical type of heating device of this character.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s, in which Figure 1 is a ront elevation of a fireplace heater embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical front-to-rear section through the fireplace, showing in side elevation the heating means arranged therem.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the drum and radiator, a portion of the drum being broken away to'disclose the interior construction.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the andirons.

Figure 4; is a cross-section thereof.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showlng a modification in the drum and radiator.

Figure 6 is a sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, andparticularly to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive,:.1 designates an open hearth fireplace including the base or hearth portion 2, the throat 3 and the outlet flue 4:. Arranged upon the hearth is a pair of andirons 5, each comprising a post portion 6 and an arm portion 7, the said post portion having an annular series of spaced feet 8 at its base holding it supported at a suitable elevation above the earth 2. The post body is hollowed to form an air entrance chamber 9-which opens into the space between the legs 8 for the upfiow of air thereto, and said chamber 9 communicates with an air conducting passage 10 extending through the arm 7. The hollow arms 7 of the two andirons may serve as supports for logs when such are used as fuel, or carry a grate in-which any suitable kind of fuel may be used. The heating of the andirons from the body of fuel results in a suction producing an indraft of air from the front of the fireplace, which air flows through the andirons, thereby keeping the same cool and preventing warplng or other destructive changes therein due to excessive heating.

As shown, the rear ends of the arms 7 are provided with bolting flanges 11 for connection with bolting flanges 12 formed about air inlet openings in the base portion of the front wall of a heating drum 13, said flanges being bolted or riveted together to hold the parts in properly fixed position with relation to each other. I do not limit myself to this construction of connection, however, as the andirons may be detachably connected with the drum in any other suitable manner. In practice, the arms 7 are preferably made of elliptical form in cross section, as this provides an arm of maximum strength and resistance to strains and at the same time forms an air passage of the largest possible area with a given amount or weight of metal. The drum 13 may be of any suitable construction, but as shown comprises a hollow and shallow box-like structure of sheet or cast metal having a base portion 14: arranged vertically and in parallel relation to the back 15 of the fireplace and an upwardly and forwardly inclined upper portion 16 arranged at an angle corresponding to the inclined shelf portion 17 of the back of the fireplace leading to the throat 3. Air entering the bottom of the drum through the hollow andiron arm 7 is heated within the drum and caused to pass uppardly through the drum, which is exposed to the heat of the flames, whereby the air is heated to a desired intensity before it is discharged. Baffles 18 of suitable form and arrangement are preferably provided with- .in the drum 13 to cause the air to take a radiator 20 may be of any suitable form and.

constructed of sheet metal, cast metal or other suitable material and may be made lain or ornamental as desired. In the orm shown it comprises a box or chamber extending across the top of the fireplace at the front thereof and overlapping the bottom portion of'the lintel 21, thus disposing it at a convenient elevation for the discharge of the heated air at the front of the fireplace and to prevent interference with the fuel or removal of the ashes. The radiator may be and preferably is of triangular form in-cross section and'has a $10 ing outer or front Wall 22 provided with suitably formed slots or openings 23 for the discharge of the heated air. It will thus be seen that the air taken in and transmitted through the hollow andirons to the drum will be thoroughly heated in its travel through the drum and radiator before it is discharged through the latter into the room or apartment, whereby greater efliciency in the utilization of heat units for the heating of the room or apartment will be secured and waste of heat largely reduced. At the same time the cheerful appearance and pleasing effect of an open hearth fireplace is preserved and the inconveniences and discomforts thereof reduce its! the minimum. Such a type of fireplace heater may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost and constructed in such form as to be a substantial ornament and add to the attractiveness of the fireplace.

In vFigures 5 and 6 of the drawings I have shown a modified form of the invention in which the upper inclined portion 16 is made separate from the lower portion 14: of the drum, said portions being united by suitable fastenings 24. Also said portion 16' is divided and constructed to provide upper and lower telescopic sections 25 and 26 which are fitted tosllde one within the other, thus ada ting said portions to be adjusted to regu ate the height of the drum to suit the height of the fireplace. The upper part of the drum is also provided with conductors 27 telescopically-receiving conductors 28 carried by the radiator 20, whereby the intervening air connection between the drum and radiator may be adjusted as to length to suit the depth of the top of the fireplace. These and other advantages may in practice be made, as may be found most desirable to meet conditions of service, without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or departing from the spirit thereof within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

In a fireplace heater, an oblong rectangular vertical heating drum extending transversely at the rear of the fireplace, said drum having openings in its front wallprovided with flanges, andirons at opposite sides of the fireplace, each comprising a vertically disposed hollow post portion forming an air chamber opening through the base of said post portion and a hollow horizontal arm communicating at its front end with said air chamber and having a flange at its rear end, the flanges of said horizontal arms of the andirons being coupled to the flanges of the drum openings and said post portions of the andirons being provided with supporting feet holding the ase portion of said andirons at an elevation above the hearth and providing a plurality of air inlets leading to the base inlet of each air chamber, a radiator, and conductors leading from the drum to said radiator, said radiator comprising a casing of triangular form in cross-section having a straight vertical rear wall arran' ed in advance of the fireplace and exten ing above and below the lintel thereof, a horizontal bottom wall and a downwardly and forwardly inclined front wall, said inclined front wall being provided with heat outlets and forming a sloping surface for deflecting dust and foreign particles forwardly beyond the line of the post portions of the andirons.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES B. DAWSON. 

